Want To Shut Someone Up? Then Produce!

The Philadelphia 76ers' second-year center takes it hard when coach John Lucas, the media and the Philly fans get on his case.

And they have been on his case.

In fact, few of the Sixers have escaped criticism this season. That's what playing in the city of Brotherly Love and floundering to the worst record in the league will do for you.

Wednesday against Detroit, Wright shot just 2-for-12 from the field to finish with six points and once again was subject to the verbal wrath from Lucas and fans.

After the game, Wright, who often keeps his thoughts to himself, tried to get reporters to understand his plight.

"I'm a very emotional person, but I don't show it. Some fans come here just to get drunk and say things about the team. It's hostile here at home and it shouldn't be that way.

"We went to Washington last year and they had a bad record and were getting killed, but their fans were still with them," lamented Wright.

Does he think players from around the league are aware of the hostile environment, maybe passing up a chance to come to Philly because of the scrutiny they would be under?

"Oh, there's no doubt," said Wright. "I think (the reputation) is worldwide."

Apparently, Wright hadn't yet heard of the problem Miami's Alonzo Mourning had Tuesday night at home when a Heat fan yelled "You hustle like a girl" during the team's loss to Toronto. Mourning had to be escorted from the court by coach Pat Riley.

Wright, who has made half his shots this season, pointed out how he has been bothered by an ankle sprain and is still not 100 percent, yet has gone out and tried to do what he could on the floor.

Fans don't understand that and Lucas, who called Sharone "Chiffon" in front of reporters, is also unsympathetic.

"We have a bit of a problem with the home court right now. Some of the guys have rabbit ears, we're hearing everything that's said. I think we're concerned with failing. When you do that, you get stuck," said Lucas.

Part of the problem is that team owner Harold Katz and Lucas had people believing that things were going to be different this year. Instead, they're worse.

Wright and his teammates may be trying. Lucas may be a nice guy. But something has got to change.

Admittedly, some of the reporters and fans have been cruel. Some have been nice. Regardless, they are not the ones creating the mess, simply the ones commenting on it.

Want to shut someone up? Produce!

Start by kicking the ball out when double and triple-teamed in the post (only two teams average fewer assists). If the shot isn't there, don't force it. Keep moving the ball until you find an open man (only three teams are worse from the field). Commit more meaningful fouls to keep the other guy from getting so many easy buckets (only three teams give up more points per game).

All right. Maybe we don't know what we're talking about. According to Wright, most reporters "weren't blessed with enough talent to play, so they (have to criticize)."

Maybe things are just peachy.

The Sixers should just go back to doing what they're doing. By next year, there will be less fans to heckle them, fewer media coming around to blame them and a new coach to yell at them.

Soldier of a bygone era -- Doug Collins was a standout player with the Philadelphia 76ers from 1973-81. It was a time when players were often working harder and always getting less money than today's NBA players. Role players knew their role. Team leaders led their team.

Times change and so did the NBA.

Players can play two years of collegiate ball, then sign a multi-million dollar contract and never even make a starting roster.

It's the time of the quick fix, the over-hyped, the over-exposed and the under-produced.

"I think that great players still play for the love of the game. But when I played, guys were playing for just that reason. They didn't make that much money," said Collins, now in his first year coaching the Detroit Pistons.

"Even Charles Barkley, for all the b.s. he puts out there, still loves to play basketball. Grant Hill loves to play basketball. Some don't."

Collins began his coaching career in Chicago and, by the end of his third and final season (1988-89), was wondering about his love of coaching.

Despite leading the Bulls to the playoffs three straight times, including the Eastern Conference finals in '88-89 where they lost to Detroit, and helping to groom Michael Jordan into an MVP, Collins was replaced by assistant Phil Jackson.

"Any time you take over something bad -- the Bulls had nine coaches in their previous 10 years -- you want to change it fast. But there are no quick fixes," said Collins.

He entered a similar situation in Detroit where the Pistons amassed 116 losses over the previous two seasons.

Collins, whose son Chris plays for Duke University and daughter Kelly might matriculate to Lehigh University (Collins was wearing a Lehigh baseball cap for a 76ers pre-game interview), already has the Pistons over .500 (24-22).

"It all starts with the owner. He (William Davidson) asked me to come in here and turn the franchise around," Collins said. "But it's a process. Right now there are eight `haves' and 21 teams like us or worse. It will take time."

Hill and Stackhouse are both marketed, by a Washington, D.C.-based company called Advantage, as the heir apparents in Madison Avenue endorsements and NBA ambassadorship to Jordan.

That's pressure.

"It comes down to how you deal with it. Most guys put too much pressure on themselves," said Collins, who talked with Hill over the summer about what it is to be a superstar.

"I told him how for Michael it was not good enough to be spectacular, he had to be spectacular every night," said Collins. "I don't know how he could will himself to do what he did."